Stephanie Engwall, a third-grade teacher at Shiloh Elementary School, will join 154 of her peers from around the country, for a week-long, all expense-paid professional development program. The Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy focuses on using real-world examples and hands-on experiments to build teacher and student excitement about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning. Participants will work with a curriculum developed by the National Science Teachers Association and Math Solutions. After the program, the participants will return to their classrooms reinvigorated with the passion to teach students how to be science literate, using hands-on experiments that show how math and science surround us daily.
More than 1,500 teachers submitted applications. Engwall called her selection a once in a lifetime opportunity. She explains, saying, “My goal for attending the academy is to have fun. I look forward to working and collaborating with teachers across the United States. I can’t wait to bring back some fun math learning activities and science experiments to share with colleagues. I am looking forward to using them in the classroom.”
In 2005, ExxonMobil partnered with PGA Golfer Phil Mickelson, and his wife, Amy, to launch the Academy. Today, more than 4,500 teachers have been trained on effective math and science teaching techniques, teaching that has had an impact on more than 300,000 students nationwide.
“Amy and I understand firsthand the influence teachers have on students,” Phil Mickelson said. “We are excited to see not only the initial inspiration that comes from the Academy week, but also the additional activity from classrooms when teachers apply what they’ve learned to help their students understand, engage and truly be inspired about STEM subjects.”
The Science Academy will be held at the Liberty Science Center in New Jersey from July 27-31. For more on the Science Academy go to www.nsta.org/mickelson.
